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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29363799">The Quiet Englishman</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starfishies/pseuds/starfishies'>starfishies</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Amadeus, Beethoven - Fandom, Ludwig van Beethoven - Fandom, Mozart - Fandom, Thomas Linley - Fandom, w a mozart, wolfgang mozart - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Beethoven, Classical Music, Historical Characters - Freeform, Luddy, M/M, Multi, Secrets We Keep, Starfishies, Thomas Linley - Freeform, Vampire AU, W A Mozart - Freeform, amadeus - Freeform, classical composers, coffee boy, composers, ludwig - Freeform, mozart - Freeform, wolfgang - Freeform, wolfie - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:46:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29363799</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starfishies/pseuds/starfishies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas Linley encounters a mysterious man who will change his life forever. Left to the wilds, he now must find his way in the world forever encapsulated in his youthful 22nd year. Fighting a new set of vampire instincts - Thomas navigates his transformation with murderous results. Desperately seeking companionship, he turns to the one friend who has always known him best, with hopes that they can finally be together - forever. </p><p>That is, until Wolfgang seeks mercy for what was once his most promising young protege whose body had begun to betray his abilities. Can Thomas learn to accept life in this vampiracle triad, or will all that was between them be lost?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ludwig van Beethoven/Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, OC character / Thomas Linley, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Thomas Linley the Younger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Quiet Englishman</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You cannot just simply tie him and leave him to starve?”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh please, you’d rather not see him set loose at the moment – <em>trust</em> me.”<br/>
<br/>
The continued clatter from behind the door to the guest room had Wolfgang’s elegant brow arched in curiosity. He stepped closer, laying a hand upon the knob cautiously but was too nervous to actually open it. He looked to Thomas in hesitation, “And so, how long must we leave him to suffer like this?”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas scoffed with a chuckle, “Suffer? We are the ones to suffer Wolfgang, this boy is in his most feral stage. He will not recognize you, or anyone else for that matter, for some time. I assure you.”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas noted Wolfie’s crest fallen expression, but finished his thought regardless<br/>
<br/>
“At the moment, the boy is not who you think he is Wolferl.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie frowned, releasing the handle and turning towards Thomas with a pained expression of guilt.<br/>
<br/>
“Listen to me,” Thomas sighed taking Wolfgang by his shoulders, locking eyes, mutual blue against blue. The sight of the youthful crystalline nearly sucked the words from Thomas’ mouth, but he quickly recouped his thoughts and shook himself sober to continue with his message of warning.<br/>
<br/>
“Listen,” He cleared the uncertainty from his voice, “I know you think he’ll recognize you. I know what you are thinking. Wolfie – I’ve been there. You have to believe me when I say this. I am being quite serious.”<br/>
<br/>
Keeping his gaze upon Wolfie’s face soft and understanding, Thomas then lessened the grip upon his shoulders.<br/>
<br/>
“If it were not for me, you would have been left to the wild just as this boy would be now, if not for us. He cannot survive through this phase without us. However,” Thomas paused after a particularly loud crash was heard from within, he could tell that Wolfie wanted nothing more than to burst into the guest room and survey the scene.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas merely tightened his grip again and began to usher his friend away as he continued his advisory, “However – for the next few weeks, he is stronger than both of us combined – and nearly twice as mad. He will have no sense of reason. He will be violent.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie kept his eye on the door while he listened, his heart sinking all the while<br/>
<br/>
<em>What had he done?</em><br/>
<br/>
“It’s best for all involved if we keep him confined for now.” Thomas finally released Wolfie’s shoulders and straightened himself upright, “Besides, I’m not interested in having to repair whatever damages he might cause around here if we <em>were</em> to let him out of that room early. This is my home, not a charity.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie frowned<br/>
<br/>
He knew that Thomas was right<br/>
<br/>
As much as he did not want to believe it, Wolfie knew that between the two of them, Thomas had nearly all of the experience in this domain. He had lived this way for years before turning Wolfie, and much of what Thomas had learned in that time had come from sheer trial and error.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas had spent nearly a decade alone, and that was before Wolfgang came back into his life. Thomas had been left to his own devices, living life on the fringes, and searching frantically for his next meal. He did what he had to do, simply in order to survive. Fighting was a newly acquired natural instinct for what was once a young English man of proper breeding, and most often, his new instincts incited murderous results. After all these years, Thomas knew that he could not help what he had become, but surely, he could at least try to help others who were like him.</p><p>If he could find any.<br/>
<br/>
“When can I see him?” Wolfie’s eyes were wide and sad. He continued to look beyond his friend, back towards the door.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas ushered his friend away, hoping to change the subject, “Well, if I think back to your first days after being turned, I’d say we have at least a month with our little feral friend.”<br/>
<br/>
“A month?” Wolfie cried, craning his neck to look backwards as Thomas lead him away. “Yes darling, a month. That is how long it took you to calm yourself.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie could not remember back that far<br/>
<br/>
In fact – he had little, if any recollection of the events following his mortal death at all. Thomas usually helped him to fill in the blanks with stories from when he was turned, but he would have to take Thomas at his word, as Wolfie’s own memories of his early days were unclear, if they existed at all.<br/>
<br/>
“I kept you tied with leather strapping from the tannery,” Thomas gave a deviant little grin, “We could always do a demonstration later if you like? I believe I kept them.” He felt the small of Wolfie’s back leave his guiding hand rather abruptly mid walk. “I don’t remember that part at all?” Wolfie shook his head in disbelief, but he knew Thomas was likely telling an accurate tale. Likely one he would rather not remember, and for that, he was glad to have the gaps in his mind as they were.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas chuckled, “Well I would not expect you to remember that, and the same is true of your little friend in there. He will have no memory of any of this once he has settled into his new body. Try not to concern yourself over the methodology of his restraint, he isn’t human Wolfgang – it would do you good to remember that.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p><br/>
Wolfie turned to Thomas in the middle of the hall, halting them both in their tracks, “So how will we keep him alive? He’s too feral to let out, and he has no memory of anyone who might help to calm him, he’s –“ Wolfie hesitated, “He’s an animal?”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas broke out into a knowing grin, “Indeed.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie looked desperate for answers – he needed to do <em>something</em> to help Ludwig – he could hardly stand the thought of him being strapped to the bed, trashing around, unable to communicate. He would be dizzy, disoriented, unbearably hungry and for what, the boy could not yet know. Or surely he did, and perhaps that is why Thomas refused to allow any of his staff to enter the room?<br/>
<br/>
“We’ll start him with rabbits.”<br/>
<br/>
“Rabbits?” Wolfie’s brow was furrowed in confusion<br/>
<br/>
“Yes,” Thomas continued forward along the long hall towards the proudly lavish garden, brushing passed Wolfie who remained frozen in place. Thomas hummed to himself as he opened the patio doors outwards. A breeze rushing in through the doorway welcomed early spring drizzle along with the damp scent of newly melted winter. It reminded Wolfie of his childhood in Salzburg. The snow, the melt of spring, and the faint smell of rot as new growth took hold. When life took over death, and the old was soon forgotten.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s how you started dear – I brought them to you. Once per day.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie quickly turned back towards him, just catching the tail of Thomas’ coat as he made his way out into the gardens. Wolfie called after him, raising his voice to be heard outside, “Rabbits? But where are you going to get them?”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas shrugged, calling back into the hallway, “That’s up to my chef – I’ll let him figure that part out. Once caught, it will be up to us to then bring them to the boy.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie stepped out onto the stones that remained protected by the overhang of an upper balcony. Unlike Thomas, Wolfie did not want to get wet if he could avoid it. He disliked the rain, even before he was changed.<br/>
<br/>
“I used to breed them, right here on the property.” Thomas continued, as if talking to himself, “English lops, they were rather adorable. Great big floppy ears, and splendid colourings.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie said nothing, watching Thomas wander through the yard, inspecting the budding shrubbery that had been so carefully trimmed the previous fall. Thomas took great pride in his home, but most especially, his gardens.<br/>
<br/>
“They did a number on my rose bushes – the little savages!” Thomas frowned, selectively plucking a few yellowing leaves from a nearby shrub, “But,” he stopped, turning to smile towards Wolfie who still stood at the threshold of the patio, “You seemed to like them.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie said nothing, merely staring back at him with a blank expression, void of any recollection.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas frowned at his non responsiveness, “Well, you seemed to like them at the time anyway…”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie and Thomas did not often disagree on much, but when it came to diet and how best to sustain life in their new world, the simply could not seem to find a compromise. While Wolfie preferred to live his life as honestly as someone in his situation truly could, Thomas preferred to live his life as nature intended. Even if that meant the loss of human life so that he might live.<br/>
<br/>
“The rabbits won’t be enough to sustain him however,” Thomas stroked the velveteen buds on the nearest shrub with a frown, “He’ll need several a day, and even still – he will struggle.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie felt his nerves begin to jump – he hated this conversation already.<br/>
<br/>
“Struggle – but not impossible?” Wolfie hugged himself against the gust of wind that fluttered between them, “If I can do it – then surely Ludwig can?”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas smiled slowly, tilting his head in curiosity as he watched his friend rub his arms feigning a chill.<br/>
<br/>
“You cannot feel the cold can you, Wolferl?”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie’s movements paused, Thomas’ question was meant more as an insinuation of his nervous energy than anything else.<br/>
<br/>
“No,” Wolfie’s arms dropped back at his sides, “You’re right.”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas smiled to himself and soon abandoned his toiling to rejoin his companion at the threshold of his home, “You still miss being human, don’t you darling?”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas draped a protective arm over Wolfgang’s shoulders and pulled him close, “You’re not a bad person, Wolfgang. It’s who we are now, you cannot help that.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie didn’t respond as Thomas kissed the top of his head with a chuckle, “I still love you anyway, hmm?”<br/>
<br/>
Hearing those words did brighten Wolfie’s mood for the moment, but he could not help but think about the poor boy who, a few mere feet away, was living the worst days of his life.<br/>
<br/>
More like, of his <em>after</em> life?<br/>
<br/>
“Come, it’s tea time anyway – enough with this dreary nonsense.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie allowed himself to be lead away with one final glance over his shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
The racket behind the door had quieted for the moment, and Wolfie could not help but wonder why?<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Thomas had for all intents and purposes, resumed what most people would consider a traditional English lifestyle. Being born of money, and of course through his more unsavoury dealings during the past decade, Thomas had amassed enough resources to live quite well amidst everyday Londoners. He kept out of society, and when he did manage to venture out, he always guarded himself heavily - making sure to keep his excursions short and to the point. Thomas accepted few invitations, not even those from wealthy friends of influence. He rarely, if ever, could he be seen outside of his stately manor home. Most people knew in town knew of him simply as a wealthy yet dashing young recluse.<br/>
<br/>
He kept his staff well, reducing the number of prying eyes to enter his home, and did away with hosting events of any kind. Even in the quiet of his newfound life, Thomas found that he still desperately needed to find ways to occupy his mind, and perhaps more frequently, his loins.<br/>
<br/>
Friday evenings were what Thomas had begun to call <em>tastings</em> – although Wolfgang still readily refused to participate, regardless of Thomas’ incessant coaxing.<br/>
<br/>
<em>“Oh come on! It’s great fun, there are plenty of exciting young prospects down at the theatre – I am sure you’ll find one to your liking.” Thomas half argued as he finished coiffing his recently styled hair.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s not that I don’t enjoy the theatre Thomas, and of course you know that I do,” Wolfie sat on the edge of Thomas’ great four post bed, the very same one that he had once used to restrain a newly feral Wolfgang after he had been turned.<br/>
<br/>
“I just don’t believe in killing people for sport.”<br/>
<br/>
“It’s not sport Wolfgang – it’s survival.” Thomas adjusted his cravat and smiled at himself devilishly before turning towards his friend. He took Wolfie’s hand and raised it to his lips rather suavely, “Those little bunnies just don’t work for me darling. My appetite requires something a little more…” Thomas paused, “Refined.”<br/>
<br/>
</em><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
“And so, what is your plan for this boy moving forward?” Thomas stirred his tea with an air of nonchalance, “Pleasure perhaps?” Thomas smile was salacious.<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie was somewhat surprised at how direct the question was – though he reminded himself of its source before answering.<br/>
<br/>
“I enjoy having Ludwig as a companion, yes.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie could tell that Thomas was not pleased with his platonically semantic response<br/>
<br/>
Rather than push, he simply changed the subject. Thomas loved to avoid what he could not control.<br/>
<br/>
“On the subject of feeding the poor bastard, I spoke to my chef this morning, and he assured me that he can have some meat rabbits delivered live by tomorrow. Possibly in the morning. I have asked the gardener to setup the pen in the garden once more.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie nodded, still thinking about Ludwig, and possibly the thought of him gnawing on a limp hare plucked from Thomas’ garden menage.<br/>
<br/>
“The gardener seemed surprised to hear that I wanted the rabbits back – after what they did to the garden the last time…” Thomas briefly scowled at the memory, “However <em>this</em> time, we shall keep them in their enclosure instead of letting them have the run of the grounds.”<br/>
<br/>
“Tomorrow morning?” Wolfie’s question came late, and somewhat awkward<br/>
<br/>
“I’m sorry darling, what are you on about tomorrow morning?”<br/>
<br/>
“The rabbits – they will arrive tomorrow morning?” the tone of Wolfie’s voice was tinged with a sort of anxious burden<br/>
<br/>
“Well, tomorrow at some time – I do not know for certain, it could be in the afternoon?” Thomas sipped from his cup, holding the saucer underneath to catch the drip.<br/>
<br/>
“But he’s starving <em>now</em> Thomas – tomorrow is a long way off!” Wolfie’s eyes caught the hands from the clock, it had been nearly two days since Ludwig had become conscious. He could not help but think that Ludwig had been suffering all this time, helpless.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas deposited his cup gently, “Shall I bring someone home from the theatre this evening?” he offered calmly, raising a curious brow towards him with a small smirk.<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie sighed in frustration, “You know I don’t want that. It should never come to <em>that</em> – there must be some other…<em>animal</em> substitute we can provide?”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas said nothing as he glanced about the room<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie could not help but wonder if he was looking for inspiration, or simply ignoring the conversation<br/>
<br/>
“Well I am sorry my dear, and I truly am, but I have nothing else to offer at the moment.” Thomas crossed his shapely leg over his knee, “We could always, set him loose and let nature take its course?”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie flopped backwards in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest in a huff of frustration<br/>
<br/>
“You <em>know</em> what would happen then – that’s not happening. If it’s murder or wait for rabbits, then we will wait for rabbits.”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas smiled behind his cup as he lifted it to his lips once more, “Oh? Well then that settles it. The boy shall wait – his <em>creator</em> desires another <em>noble</em> vampire to join his ranks. I think it’s a lovely thought.”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie made a face, “Noble? That’s not what I would call it.”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas chuckled, “Well, what would you call it my darling Wolfgang? A diet?”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie could not truthfully answer, as he had never contemplated giving his morality a title. To him, it was simply decency – albeit <em>human</em> decency – for which Thomas constantly reminded him.<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<em>“We are not human Wolfgang, you cannot continue to hold the same levels of moral accountability as such.”<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</em>Wolfie simply rose from his seat, unable to come up with a viable response in order to end the conversation in his own favour.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh no, I have offended you again haven’t I?” Thomas’ expression changed from Cheshire to genuine remorse, “Oh Wolferl, forgive me – please sit down, come now! Whatever it is that I said, you know that it wasn’t intended that way!”<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie fought to keep himself from rolling his eyes.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas loved to take, and then to ask only thereafter. He apologized to no one.<br/>
<br/>
Thomas had always been like that, even in his life before, even as they had been children.<br/>
<br/>
Wolfie was practically used to it.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m going to see him now.”<br/>
<br/>
Thomas quickly set his tea on the table between them, moving to stand as Wolfie quickly turned on his heels to march off without him.<br/>
<br/>
“Wolfgang!” Thomas called after him nervously, “Wolfgang – wait!”<br/>
<br/>
But it was too late, Wolfie was already out of sight<br/>
<br/>
“Stubborn little Austrian – damn you” Thomas muttered under his breath as he bumped his knee against the table, inadvertently spilling tea over his tights. “Christ!” he hissed, dabbing at the newly formed stain against the white silk.<br/>
<br/>
Rubbing furiously at the spot, Thomas began to walk rather briskly, “Wolfgang wait! I’m coming with you – don’t you <em>dare </em>open that door without me!”</p><p><br/>
He ran to catch up with his friend, hoping he would not be too late.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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